IKC FHew 7C6110
Simm Rules
This is mostly for those of you who have never used this sort of SIMM before. It is a little different to PBEM that you may be used to. Firstly, unlike PBEM you don't have a GM who gives you bits of the plot as you go along. Instead we are all co writers who are developing characters within the confines of an agreed plot. So when you are making joint posts there are a few things you need to know.
First you need to select the names of other people you want involved in the mail. You can add and remove people at a later date but if you remove yourself you will no longer be able to see the post.
Title: Something unique and descriptive
Location: Where the action takes place (bridge, promenade, the council room, etc)
Timeline: This helps keep track of where people are at different times. It can be a definite time (18:00hrs) or a relative time (during the attack, after the talk to the captain). This helps avoid time folding where discussions are had on topics that haven't happened, or people being in two places in time.
Tag: Place all the names of the people involved in the mail. When you are satisfied with the mail, and that you have nothing more to add you remove your name. Last name removed can POST the mail (see below).
Content: this is where the body of the text goes. You should already have seen the post I have made involving you all, but here are few key acronyms and symbols for you to use -
OOC: (Out Of Character) for use in amongst the action as a quick comment, question or explanation.
IC: (In Character) If you need to indicate you have returned to the story.
ON: Indicates the body of the message has begun. Anything before this is considered OOC:
OFF: The closing tag of the above on statement. Anything after this is also considered OOC:
EL: (End Location) This is a single phrase to say where the character is at the end of the post (Bridge, heading to engineering, still lost, etc)
=/= or ,’. : this is to indicate a comm pin or communicator (Federation or Klingon Respectively) was used. This tends to be for radioing away teams or from Engineering to Bridge, etc.
This indicates that you are expecting a response at that point in the story. You will see in the initial post that I have tagged each of you. In some cases you may wish to add additional interruptions (character reactions etc) where there are no tags. Try not to interrupt a flow. By the same token, try to leave a tag every few paragraphs at least and don't assume you know how the other will respond. it can be very discouraging to have written a four page rant and then it is derailed after the first paragraph.
Klingon [English]: If for some reason you feel the need to speak to another character in another language then let's not bother with secret translations. Simply enclose your statement in a phrase like this. Of course if you are just speaking to your self then feel free to put in whatever you wish. As a polite gesture you could include a translation tag. Remember some other characters may actually speak you language anyway.
Save/Post: When you are still working on your mail remember NOT to POST it. Save it then the others involved can see the copy and make their adjustments. Try never to take control of another’s character, but feel free to use our four nameless and interchangeable Klingon NPCs at will. When you are happy with the mail and ready to submit it to the group remove your name from the Tag. Last person with a name in there should go through and clean up (remove any left over tags and OOCs) then click POST. you may post twice a day, and must post something at least once a fortnight. If you are in a mail that someone else posts that still counts as a post for you as well.
WARNING: When you open a page for editing it does not protect the message. If someone else opens the message and edits a second later they will not pick up any of your changes. When you save it OVERWRITES everything that went before so which ever one of you saves first will loose all of the changes they made when the second person hits save. How to get around this? Do all of your editing in a word document (added advantage of spell and grammar checks, then open, paste, save. in quick succession. You should get an emailed copy of the finished post so if accidents do happen, hopefully they can be recovered and merged.
Well that covers the basics. Anything else, you know where to reach me.
This is mostly for those of you who have never used this sort of SIMM before. It is a little different to PBEM that you may be used to. Firstly, unlike PBEM you don't have a GM who gives you bits of the plot as you go along. Instead we are all co writers who are developing characters within the confines of an agreed plot. So when you are making joint posts there are a few things you need to know.
First you need to select the names of other people you want involved in the mail. You can add and remove people at a later date but if you remove yourself you will no longer be able to see the post.
Title: Something unique and descriptive
Location: Where the action takes place (bridge, promenade, the council room, etc)
Timeline: This helps keep track of where people are at different times. It can be a definite time (18:00hrs) or a relative time (during the attack, after the talk to the captain). This helps avoid time folding where discussions are had on topics that haven't happened, or people being in two places in time.
Tag: Place all the names of the people involved in the mail. When you are satisfied with the mail, and that you have nothing more to add you remove your name. Last name removed can POST the mail (see below).
Content: this is where the body of the text goes. You should already have seen the post I have made involving you all, but here are few key acronyms and symbols for you to use -
OOC: (Out Of Character) for use in amongst the action as a quick comment, question or explanation.
IC: (In Character) If you need to indicate you have returned to the story.
ON: Indicates the body of the message has begun. Anything before this is considered OOC:
OFF: The closing tag of the above on statement. Anything after this is also considered OOC:
EL: (End Location) This is a single phrase to say where the character is at the end of the post (Bridge, heading to engineering, still lost, etc)
=/= or ,’. : this is to indicate a comm pin or communicator (Federation or Klingon Respectively) was used. This tends to be for radioing away teams or from Engineering to Bridge, etc.
Klingon [English]: If for some reason you feel the need to speak to another character in another language then let's not bother with secret translations. Simply enclose your statement in a phrase like this. Of course if you are just speaking to your self then feel free to put in whatever you wish. As a polite gesture you could include a translation tag. Remember some other characters may actually speak you language anyway.
Save/Post: When you are still working on your mail remember NOT to POST it. Save it then the others involved can see the copy and make their adjustments. Try never to take control of another’s character, but feel free to use our four nameless and interchangeable Klingon NPCs at will. When you are happy with the mail and ready to submit it to the group remove your name from the Tag. Last person with a name in there should go through and clean up (remove any left over tags and OOCs) then click POST. you may post twice a day, and must post something at least once a fortnight. If you are in a mail that someone else posts that still counts as a post for you as well.
WARNING: When you open a page for editing it does not protect the message. If someone else opens the message and edits a second later they will not pick up any of your changes. When you save it OVERWRITES everything that went before so which ever one of you saves first will loose all of the changes they made when the second person hits save. How to get around this? Do all of your editing in a word document (added advantage of spell and grammar checks, then open, paste, save. in quick succession. You should get an emailed copy of the finished post so if accidents do happen, hopefully they can be recovered and merged.
Well that covers the basics. Anything else, you know where to reach me.